Scouts join more than 140 organizations seeking global moratorium on ivory

Scouts will launch a letter-writing campaign and volunteer at the upcoming WCS Run for the Wild on April 26 at the Bronx Zoo

Campaign URL: www.96elephants.org

NEW YORK (April 14, 2014) – The Boy Scouts of America Greater New York Council has joined more than 140 other groups as partners of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s recently launched 96 Elephants Campaign – an effort focused on securing moratoria on all ivory sales; bolstering protection of African elephants; and educating the public about the link between ivory consumption and the elephant poaching crisis.

The Boy Scouts will collaborate with 96 Elephants through a letter writing campaign and other advocacy efforts that include volunteering at the upcoming Run for the Wild to be held at the Bronx Zoo on April 26th. This year, the annual Run for the Wild is in support of the 96 Elephants campaign.

“New York City Scouting and the Wildlife Conservation Society both have clear missions; closely linked in growing future leaders to take good care of our world and the wildlife who inhabit it. Greater New York Councils is very proud to support the 96 Elephants campaign. Youth can make a very positive difference,” said Ethan Draddy, Scout Executive & Chief Executive Officer.

Said John Calvelli, WCS Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Director of the 96 Elephants Campaign: “We welcome The Boy Scouts of America Greater New York Council to our growing ‘herd’ of organizations. We are confident that the Scouts will play an incredibly important role helping to educate people to the terrible connection between the elephant poaching crisis and the possible extinction of this iconic species.”

96 Elephants was named for the number of elephants gunned down each day for their ivory. The Wildlife Conservation Society launched the campaign in September in support of the Clinton Global Initiative’s (CGI) commitment to end the crisis facing Africa’s elephants.

96 Elephants partners include more than 100 North American zoos and aquariums, along with the Bodhi Tree Foundation, DD&B Worldwide, Enough Project, ESRI, Horizon Media, Hotel Plaza Athanee, Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Organization of Young Citizens of Guinea, The Resolve: LRA Crisis Initiative, Invisible Children and Tsavo Trust.

The campaign has already achieved success with the recent announcement by the Obama administration of a federal ban on most ivory sales. The campaign’s next steps are to pass state moratoria and close loopholes that would allow ivory to continue to be traded, as well as work with other nations on moratoria. New York State has already introduced legislation to ban the sale of ivory.

96 Elephants and its growing coalition of partners are driving action on behalf of saving elephants. 96 Elephants educates and engages the public through a series of activities including online petitions and letter writing campaigns enhanced through social media.

To learn more about the elephant crisis and how to help eradicate the demand for ivory, visit www.96elephants.org.

CONTACT:
Max Pulsinelli - 718-220-5182; mpulsinelli@wcs.org
Stephen Sautner – 718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. VISION: WCS envisions a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas, valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in more than 60 nations and in all the world’s oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquarium to achieve its conservation mission. Visit: www.wcs.org; facebook.com/TheWCS; youtube.com/user/WCSMedia; follow: @theWCS.

96 Elephants
WCS is leading global efforts to save Africa’s elephants and end the current poaching and ivory trafficking crisis. In September, WCS launched its 96 Elephants campaign www.96elephants.org to amplify and support the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) “Partnership to Save Africa’s Elephants” by stopping the killing, stopping the trafficking, and stopping the demand. The WCS campaign focuses on: securing effective moratoria on domestic sales of ivory; bolstering elephant protection; and educating the public about the link between ivory consumption and the elephant poaching crisis.

The Greater New York Councils:
The Greater New York Councils, Boy Scouts of America has helped over five million young people become “Prepared for Life.” The vision of the Greater New York Councils is to serve kids and their families throughout the diverse communities of New York City and to help them to prepare for success in school, career, and life. We partner with 800 community-based organizations and schools and close to 5,000 caring adult volunteers to offer year-round Scouting and Exploring programs to nearly 46,000 boys and girls ages 6-21 in the five boroughs of New York City.